Model Kindness on Your Team

 from Harvard Business Review

Model Kindness on Your Team

The benefits of kindness at work are well documented. But how do you actually promote caring and generosity on your team? First, take the lead. People are highly attuned to the behaviors of high-status team members; when you give compliments to your employees, they’re likely to emulate your behavior. Second, set aside time during Zoom meetings for a “kindness round,” in which team members are free to acknowledge and praise each other’s work. This doesn’t need to take up much time — even just a few minutes is plenty of time to boost morale and social connection. Finally, consider small, peer-nominated spot bonuses to allow people to recognize their colleagues’ work. If you have a limited budget, a gift card or a small gift can show appreciation that goes a long way. It’s your job as a leader to set a tone of kindness on your team. These small gestures can have a big impact.

Keep a record of your wins

 Keep a record of your wins. Track all of your achievements. Surpassed your goals? Cracked a big account? Make a note every time you accomplish something, and add it to a folder on your desktop or in your email. Include shoutouts from colleagues or clients.

From HBR

A Study in ...

 

“Learning Loss” – Wrong and Right Solutions

In this online article, Harvey Silver and Jay McTighe worry that “lost learning” is an unfortunate way to define the challenge schools face as they reopen for in-person instruction. By framing the challenge as instructional time lost, there’s a tendency to think the solution is rapidly covering the curriculum that students missed – which has two downsides. “At the classroom level,” say Silver and McTighe, “this solution could take the form of cutting out any of those time-consuming learning activities such as discussions, debates, hands-on science investigations, art creation, and authentic performance tasks and projects” – instead “trying to blitz through lots of factual information.”

Rather than focusing on the content that wasn’t covered during remote and hybrid instruction, they propose two more-productive approaches:

• Prioritizing the curriculum on outcomes that matter the most – A simple but effective way to accomplish this is preceding the title of each curriculum unit with the words, A study in… Several examples:

• The calendar – A study in systems

• Linear equations – A study in mathematical modeling

• Media literacy – A study in critical thinking

• Any sport – A study in technique

• Argumentation – A study in craftsmanship

Preceding a unit title with those three words, say Silver and McTighe, “establishes a conceptual lens to focus learning on transferable ideas, rather than isolated facts or discrete skills.”

It’s also helpful to frame the unit around Essential Questions. For the five units above, here are some possibilities:

• How is the calendar a system? What makes a system a system? 

• How can mathematics model or represent change? What are the limits of a mathematical model?

• Can I trust this source? How do I know what to believe in what I read, hear, and view? 

• Why does technique matter? How can I achieve maximum power without losing control?

• What makes an argument convincing? How do you craft a persuasive argument?

Well-framed Essential Questions are open-ended, stimulate thinking, discussions, and debate, and raise additional questions.

• Engaging learners in deeper learning that will endure – “To learn deeply,” say Silver and McTighe, “students need to interact with content, e.g., by linking new information with prior knowledge, wrestling with questions and problems, considering different points of view, and trying to apply their learning to novel situations.” The most important skills are comparing, conceptualizing, reading for understanding, predicting and hypothesizing, perspective-taking, and exercising empathy. 

A kindergarten example: challenging students to predict how high they can stack blocks before a tower falls down, then having them try different hypotheses and see what works best, and note the success factors. “This focus on cause and effect will become a yearlong inquiry for students,” say Silver and McTighe, “as they learn to use it to examine scientific phenomena, characters’ behavior in stories, and even their own attitudes and motivations as learners.” (The full article, linked below, includes a middle-school unit on genetically modified food and a high-school unit comparing the educational philosophies of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois.)

This two-part approach to curriculum is not just “a stopgap measure tied to current anxieties about learning loss,” conclude Silver and McTighe: “Framing content around big ideas and actively engaging students in powerful forms of thinking is good practice – in any year, under any conditions.” 

“Learning Loss: Are We Defining the Problem Correctly?” by Harvey Silver and Jay McTighe on McTighe’s website, May 7, 2021

Hattie - What Can We Learn from Covid-Era Instruction?

 What Can We Learn from Covid-Era Instruction?

“Perhaps the greatest tragedy to come from Covid-related distance learning would be not learning from this experience to improve our teaching when we physically return to classrooms,” says research guru John Hattie (University of Melbourne) in this article in Educational Leadership. Hattie points to several positive developments he hopes will continue:

• Focusing on equity – The pandemic dramatically highlighted gaps in technology and access, and some progress was made. As in-person schooling resumes, Hattie urges that we double down, “shifting from measuring seat time to learning engagement; prioritizing assessments that illuminate student growth and learning; supporting acceleration in learning, not remediation; and identifying safe, culturally responsive practices.”

• Listening to the troops – What succeeded over the last 15 months – rapid adaptation to new technology and new instructional practices – did not happen because of top-down mandates but through the initiative and ingenuity of teachers and other school-based educators. In the future, Hattie hopes that district leaders will be more willing to listen to their teachers and build collaborative teams. 

• Self-regulation – Remote and hybrid instruction put a premium on teachers and students working more independently. “Teachers who talked a lot in class, asked questions that required less-than-three-word responses, and focused myopically on the facts and content had trouble engaging learners remotely,” says Hattie. Students who already possessed (or picked up) the skills of independent learning thrived, as did teachers who focused on content and deep learning, taught in engaging ways, and gradually released responsibility. He urges educators to continue those practices in the new normal.

• Connections – Many educators used online tools to communicate more effectively with families and get them invested in deeper learning for their children. Teachers also had to get a better handle on how students were thinking, what they already knew, and what mastery of skills and content looked like. All of this should make teaching and learning more efficient and effective in post-Covid schools.

“What Can We Learn from Covid-Era Instruction?” by John Hattie in Educational Leadership, May 2021 (Vol. 78, #8, pp. 14-17);

Getting Students to Come Back for in-person learning

 “Getting Students to Come Back – and Remain – for In-Person Learning” by Ruby Payne in Principal Leadership, May 2021

Reasons for Teenagers to Come to School – and Keep Coming

“Students want to come back to school – to see their friends,” says Ruby Payne (Aha! Process) in this article in Principal Leadership. “But after they see their friends, how long will they want to submit to a structure that they have not had for a year and a half? Getting up at 7:00 a.m., classes that last 45 to 90 minutes, three-minute passing periods between classes, sitting in a seat with no food or drink allowed in class, and no access to social media?” On top of all that, students may be dealing with mental health challenges and trauma. Many teachers have dialed back their expectations, giving good grades for just handing in work – and students have learned they can get a day’s work done by noon.

So how are educators going to keep students coming back after the initial round of camaraderie? Focusing on secondary-school students, Payne suggests the following:

• Build a future story. She likes the idea of a nine-box storyboard in which students picture themselves at age 25 and think about what they want to have, be, and do:

• High-school diploma

• College, technical school, or military

• Work (What do you love to do that you would do even if you didn’t get paid?)

• Car or other vehicle

• Pay/money

• House/apartment

• Friends

• Relationships/marriage

• Fun/hobbies

Having found images for each box, students think about their plan to get to their desired future – and how classes in school right now are part of that plan.

• Create opportunities for belonging and relationships. An example: one high-school principal shaved a couple of minutes off each class and scheduled 20 minutes of socialization time right after first period when clubs met and students were allowed to be on their cellphones, talk, and eat. One catch: students could participate only if their grades, attendance, and tardies were at an acceptable level. 

• Organize consistent mentors. “Each student should have a key relationship with an adult on staff who makes daily contact and does not give up on them,” says Payne. If a student doesn’t have at least one adult serving this purpose in their life, the school mentor spends 3-4 minutes talking to them every day. 

• Access support systems. The school must ensure that students who are struggling with homelessness, abuse, emotional and mental health issues, and housing insecurity connect with professionals in the school and community agencies that can help them. 

“Getting Students to Come Back – and Remain – for In-Person Learning” by Ruby Payne in Principal Leadership, May 2021 (Vol. 21, #9, pp. 22-23)

3 Pitfalls of Organizational Change

 (from HBR email on 5/11/2021)

Avoid These 3 Pitfalls When Leading Organizational Change

Leading an organizational transformation is hard. If you’ve got a major change on the horizon (or if you're currently leading one that's stuck in a ditch), you need to be aware of three common pitfalls — and how to avoid them. Don't underestimate the scope of the work. Executing a transformation at scale typically requires more time and coordination than leaders expect. To counter this, make sure you have realistic expectations. Take an incremental approach to the overall goal by launching a series of small-scale projects and initiatives led by distinct teams. And be sure that all of these related initiatives — and the people who lead them — are aligned, communicate effectively, and avoid taking on overlapping or conflicting work. Don’t overestimate your employees' capacity to execute your vision while continuing to carry out their existing day-to-day responsibilities. Listen for feedback about their ability to deliver. Be ready to adapt accordingly. Don’t hide why this transformation is important to you. Be transparent and express why you believe the organization should move in this new direction. You want to be a leader who inspires trust throughout the transition.

Reflection on year-end meetings

After thanking teachers and reassuring them that all feelings about this school year are okay, I ask two questions: what's at the center of the center of you plate in teaching? and what has been unmasked for you this year?

Unmasked

I used so many of my colleagues as supports this year; I have been more open to asking for help; I need people more than I thought.  I realized that we have each other's backs.  That's comforting

Grading is a silly bean-counting game.  I realize how the traditional way of doing grades helps privileged kids and hurts unprivileged kids.  I need to make a big change to how I do grading.

The district has provided students/parents/staff with confusing and mixed messages: we need rigor! but deadlines and individual assignments don't matter.  Keep providing challenging curriculum... but provide grace.

Being the kind of teacher that I want to be is an important part of my identity as a person; the fact that I couldn't play the normal role that I do really affected me.

The community does not support us humans or teachers.  There's a sense of entitlement that 

How much SOME kids need us;  many kids feel safe here and we can provide some safety; I have overemphasized content;

I have the best question for discussion (etc), but when kids create their own questions for discussion, they're more engaged;  the pandemic has forced us to shorten and focus curriculum -- it's been a good exercise 

I'm coming to terms with how much kids are struggling.  What's been unmasked it how much they're struggling.  In past years I was more torn between "rigorous curriculum" and flexibility.

The "character" of kids was revealed... some kids sailed right through the troubles, some kids really struggled, other kids abused teacher flexibility and grace

What's revealed is the ugly truth that we dragged kids through learning -- chasing them down, persuading them to complete stuff, relying on 'student compliance'  -- and, worse, that we were dragging kids through learning in past years, too... the pandemic just revealed it/ exacerbated it.  This "dragging" is not just a pandemic problem, it's a "school problem"

This year has revealed the privilege of many HC parents who, for the first time maybe, didn't get exactly what they want when they wanted it.  This has become more clear to me as I reflect more on issues of equity in the school and in the country and the anger/frustrations of groups who don't/can't get whatever they want.  It's ironic that our local parents don't able to see that what they're feeling is similar to what less I'm coming to terms with how much kids are struggling.  What's been unmasked it how much they're struggling.  In past years I was more torn between "rigorous curriculum" and flexibility.
privileged feel.

It's important to be in the same space as kids.... to read their expressions.

Acceleration of technology; "teacher-proofing" 

Kids can't focus unless they're present; we need to do things to help make kids present (opening writes turning into discussions); things that might be considered "fluff time" or "non essential" are important in building community and feeling of comfort and safety

kids need to do personal writing

We don't always give kids credit for what they're doing; 

I'm proud that I survived; I created not just plan A and B, but C and D.  This forced me to do lots of tech things that I didn't really want to learn.  but I'm glad that I did.

I felt like a cog, not valued as an individual; this year felt like "pounding and pounding";  kids need consistency and predictability and positivity;   kids need to know that you value them as individuals  --  directions (like "turn your camera on" needed to be relentlessly inviting... it worked over time)

I think that kids will feel "dirty" about cheating this year."

What about kids who CHOSE to stay at home b/c they don't normally feel safe and comfortable in schools

Center of Center of Plate 

Being a human being; people matter, relationships matter.  You should treat other human beings with kindness.

I am a "warm demander," which I've always been, but it's become more apparent.  It's a transition for me a little, because I used to be more focused on "skills."

I help kids believe that they can do hard things.  

I want kids to know that they are okay as they are; and if not, I'm there for you.

Helping kids realize that literature matters and can change your life.

Appreciate kids for who they are; kids are not always at the top of their game/ their full selves; they are PEOPLE not underlings

I want to teach kids how to be good humans;  I want to make connections with kids;  I want to be able to model vulnerability and the ability to access resources

I want kids to have authentic connections to reading, incorporate all that we're learning about equity in helping kids see themselves in the curriculum

What's important is not JUST the skills, but how it's connecting to students' real lives.  

I want to make sure that kids know that I care about them as human beings and and as learners; I am their advocate

Building community in my classroom.  Providing space for students to do what they want.

I want kids to have a sense of belonging, to be part of  a place you can be yourself.

Outlet to write about personal exigence... responding to text, research, write to someone who you need to...  

Other

I've been really resentful of administration. This job used to be a vocation, then it became just a paycheck.  I am working my way back to seeing what I need to do to keep the sustaining "vocation" part intact.

The fact that we moved to canvas -- and had to communicate everything to kids through canvas -- has been helpful for me in prioritizing and clarifying curriculum.  (moving from "the stream" to modules was hard, but ultimately very helpful)

I am a fan of Book Love; also of opening writes (especially to get kids to be reflective and connecting); I think what's important is novelty/changing things up... do Book Love for specific units, do opening writes at other times;

My reflections:

Teachers recall, with vividness, specific things that others said or wrote to them, especially during times of need.   "I don't care who teaches the class."  Being called a "communist infiltrator"

Teachers feel like they've been asked to give grace to kids again and again, but do not feel like they've been given grace.

teachers: AB, GC, SJ, MB, KS

Formatting poetry in blogger

The first poem I typed in "compose" view.  The second I used this code in the "HTML View"

<pre style="font-family:Georgia,serif;">[text of poem]<pre> 

November 14

In the low forties and clear.

My wife and I walk the cold road

in silence, asking for thirty more years.

There's a pink and blue sunrise

with an accent of red:

a hunter's cap burns like a coal

in the yellow-gray eye of the woods.

November 14

In the low forties and clear.


My wife and I walk the cold road
in silence, asking for thirty more years.

There's a pink and blue sunrise
with an accent of red:
a hunter's cap burns like a coal
in the yellow-gray eye of the woods.